Toothbrush having powder pickup grooves



Dec@ 12, 1950 J. E. BENNETT 2,533,345

TOOTHBRUSH HAVING POWDER PICKUP GROOVES Filed Nov. 29, 1945 Patented Dec. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES ()FFICE TOOTHBRUSH HAVING PGWDER PICKUP GROOVES John E. Bennett, Elgin, Ill., assignor to Claude L. Bennett, Elgin, 111.

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of tooth brushes or similar devices.

My invention relates more particularly to an improvement in the construction of toothbrushes whereb tooth-powder or similar dentiirices can be picked up by the brush itself and deposited against the teeth for brushing.

As is well known, tooth-powder is preferred by a large number of people over tooth-paste for cleaning teeth, but its use is not too popular because of the difficulties in applying it. Most tooth-powder comes in cans or containers having a dispensing opening at one end and the con tainer is tilted and a small mound of the powder is poured into the palm of the hand. The toothbrush is then moistened and the bristles used to attempt to scoop up or have some powder adhere to the same. This is only partially successful and, as a result, considerable powder is wasted each time a person brushes his teeth.

With this in mind, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a tooth-brush so constructed that it is capable of picking up the powder and applying it to the teeth.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tooth-brush of the type described that can carry a supply of powder to the teeth either direct frOm the container or from a supply placed in the palm of the hand.

A further object is to provide a tooth-brush having cavities on either side of the same for receiving and conveying powder to the teeth.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following description, wherein reference is had to the accompanying sheet of drawings upon which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a toothbrush constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same taken generally on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view showing how a supply of powder may be carried to the teeth.

In the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings, in Fig. 1, I have shown the conventional type of tooth-brush which may include a handle It, a neck portion l2 and a head I ia into which rows of bristles [6 may be set in a suitable or desirabl manner.

In the construction of the invention shown, I have provided the arcuate grooves 26 in the sides of the tooth-brush head Ma. This construction has an advantage in that the grooves terminate in a pair of raised edges 28 and 30, so that powder is easily carried in the same. When the brush is held sideways, after scooping powder into the grooves, the same will remain there until it is carried to the teeth and disposed against the same. The curved head Ma is made to conform with the curvature across the palm of the hand, so that the lip 28 or 30 can scrape up the powder cleanly from the hand.

From the above and foregoing description, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have provided a simple yet efiicient powder pickup tooth-brush which will overcome the difficulties attendant to using the powder formerly met. The brush is so constructed that it will pick up more powder with less efiort and more economy than is now possible with any other type of tooth-brush. The brush is so constructed that powder can be picked up and retained upon either side of the brush until the user puts it on his teeth. Thus it can be seen that I have provided a construction by which powder can be picked up either from the palm of the hand or shaken directly from the container into one of the grooves 26 on the side of the tooth-brush. By either method, approximately of the powder can be used and the needless waste heretofore attendant to using powder is completely eliminated.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made in the exact details shown and I do not wish to be limited in any particular; rather what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a. tooth brush for carrying and applying tooth powder to the teeth, said tooth brush having an elongated handle, and a head of generally similar transverse cross section throughout its length, said transverse cross section comprising an upper slightly convex curved portion and a lower straight portion, a plurality of rows of bristles extending from the lower side of the brush head, said head being of arcuate shape in longitudinal cross section, said longitudinal cross section comprising an upper convex portion and a lower concave portion, which portions of the longitudinal cross section are spaced concentrically throughout their entire length, said head having a concave arcuate groove in each side wall thereof, said grooves extending substantially throughout the entire length of the head, the upper and lower edges of the grooves being concentric with the said longitudinally convex upper and concave lower portions, the upper edge of each groove forming a lip adjacent the convex top surface of said head, so that the tooth brush may be turned with the bristles directed generally upwardly and a quantity of powder may be scraped from the users palm into one of said grooves and the powder carried to and applied to the teeth.

JOHN E. BENNETT.

REFERENCES CITED Number 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hines Mar. 4, 1919 Levis Jan. 2, 1923 Schmitter July 28, 1931 Coney et al Aug. 29, 1933 Handy Dec. 4, 1934 Sekine Dec. 22, 1936 Bothum July 26, 1939 

